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Webbing has been used since the 1800s to provide support for seating -- it's the webbing that ultimately holds you up as you sit in some types of wood-framed, cushioned chairs. Over time, the webbing may fray, come unstapled or stretched and frayed beyond usefulness. Flipping the chair over reveals the condition of the webbing. Inspect it to determine if you need to simply restretch and reattach it or completely replace it. Pay attention to how and where the existing webbing is attached; the furniture-maker probably picked the best location to attach it, so copy that original placement.

1

Flip the chair over to reveal the webbing. Tug gently at the jute to feel for excess slack or to determine if it has become dried out to the point it may tear. If the webbing still seems strong and useful, it may simply need tightening. If some of it is in bad shape, proceed to Step 7.

2

Pull out all the staples and tacks from one end of each jute piece that needs tightening, using a staple remover or claw hammer. Look for loose or missing staples or tacks and work from that side, since they will likely contribute to the problem. If no tacks or staples are missing, choose two chair sides to work from -- one for the vertical jute bands and an adjacent side for the horizontal -- to streamline the tightening process.

3

Tug on the loose end of one piece of webbing, positioning yourself so you are pulling the webbing toward your body. Put the end of the webbing through a webbing stretcher and hold the stretcher on the outside of the furniture frame, tugging gently to tighten the webbing as much as possible. Staple the webbing where it meets the center of the piece of wood on the frame, rather than stapling near the edges. Apply four to five staples to one piece of webbing.

4

Fold the excess webbing over onto itself, as if you're making a hem; the old webbing should already curl in this manner, since it was previously folded the same way. Add a few more staples to secure the excess webbing.

5

Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for every piece of webbing aligned in the same fashion -- all the horizontal strips or all the vertical strips.

6

Re-weave the loose webbing pieces perpendicular to the first set, if necessary, by running them over and under the webbing you've already tightened. Use the existing pieces as a guideline to help determine if you should weave above or below the existing pieces. Tighten the webbing as in Steps 3 and 4, repeating the process for each loose piece. If no new webbing is needed, proceed to Step 10.

7

Stretch a new piece of webbing while still on the roll over an area where one piece was removed. Allow a few extra inches to hang from the loose end and staple it to the frame using four or five staples.

8

Pull the webbing across the frame and grab the unstapled side with a webbing stretcher held outside the frame. Pull the webbing taut and staple it with four or five staples.

9

Allow the webbing to hang a few inches beyond the frame and cut it. Fold the excess webbing over, like a hem, and staple it to the frame as in Step 4. Continue adding new webbing pieces until all the removed pieces have been replaced.

10

Hammer several upholstery tacks over each bit of folded webbing, securing it to the frame as additional support for the staples.

Things You Will Need

Staple remover or claw hammer

Webbing stretcher

Staple gun with 1/2-inch staples

11-pound jute webbing

Scissors

Tack hammer

Upholstery tacks

Tip

Jute webbing is sold on rolls in various gauges, such as 9-pound or 11-pound. Opting for a heavy gauge -- 11-pound strength -- ensures sturdiness for any webbing-repair project.

Warnings

Mind your fingers while working with the staple gun to avoid injury.

Test all webbing, including new and old strips, by pressing down on it to ensure it and the staples hold up under pressure. Replace shredded webbing and loose staples to avoid webbing failure once it is in place on the furniture.

About the Author

Kathy Adams is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who traveled the world handling numerous duties for music artists. She writes travel and budgeting tips and destination guides for USA Today, Travelocity and ForRent, among others. She enjoys exploring foreign locales and hiking off the beaten path stateside, snapping pics of wildlife and nature instead of selfies.